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Conf  Pam  #708 

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HkaH  QdARTERS  CoNFEDEUATt"  AbMY. 

9lh   Februarij,   ]<ili'j. 

(IRN'EPwAL  OrOEn   1 

No     1. 

In  ohedieni.f-  lo  wcaT.ii  >.'r'icr  Jm'.  ..,  A'ij:ji;ini  .-c  in.-jiecior  'icuirai  s 
•'ifl&ce.  6th  February,  1865,  I  asEiime.  command  of  the  MiliUry  forces  of  the 
Confederate  States.  Deeply  impressed  with  the  difficiillies  and  responsi- 
bility of  the  position  and  humbly  invoking  the  guidance  of  Almighty  God, 
I  rely  for  .success •  upon  the  nournge  au'l  fortllude  oC  tlie  Array,  sustained 
by  the  ptitriotisuj  «nd  lirniness  of  the  peo])le,  ftmfident  that  their  united 
•  fforts,  under  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  will  secure  i)eafe  .ind  independence 
Thf-  Head  Quiirters  of  the  Army,  tn  wliich  nil  sjiecial  reports  and  com- 
niiiiiicatiuns  will  be  addressed,  will  bi-  for  the  preient  with  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia.  The  stated  aud  regalar  returns  aud  reports  ot  each 
Army  and  Department  will  be  forwarded  as  heretofore  to  the  Uffice  of  the 
Adjutant  <t  Inspector  General, 

R.  E.  LEE, 

Oerwal. 


Head  Qcartkm  Armiks  of  thb  CoNr^DsnATE  States 

GENERAL  ORDERS,!  ^tk  February,   m5. 

Ko.  2.  f 

In  .niering  upon  tlic  cninpnicn  .bout  lo  optn,  Iho  Gencral-in-Chi^r 
f«.«,„r...h.t  ,he  .oMiers  ,bo  „„.  .0  ,o„,  ,„a  .„  „„„;      „!     e 

?:;:o;ir  ::r:r "-  ^" '-'-  -  '■"""'°"  •"  ---^  -  '^• 

.ph;',o  t;:';;;'  """""•""  '"■ '"-  "^""""  *•' '-  -"»""  '^' 

The  choice  between  war  an.l  abject  submission  is  before  them 
To  .snch  a  proposal,  brave  men  with    arnv  in  their  hand,   can    have  b«t 
one  answer.  '* 

They  cannot  barter  mnnhoo.l  for  peac,  nor  the  ripht  of  self  porernment 
lor  hfc  or  property. 

But  justice  to  them  requires  .a  sterner  ndmonition  to  those  who  have 
ai'andoned  their  comrades  in  the  hour  of  peril. 

A  Ia..t  opportunity  is  afforded  them  to  wipe  out  the  disgrace  and  escap, 
the  punishment  of  their  crimes.  ^ 

Ry  authority  of  the  President  of  the  Confederate  Slates  a  pardon  is  an- 
nouuced  to  such  deserters  and  men  improperly  absent  as  shall  return  to  the 
commands  to  which  they  belong  within  the  shortest  possible  time  nit   v 

7r^ZVr^''  'r  '""  *'"  ^"''■^''^'■^°  "^  ^'^'^  O^*^--  -^«  ^^^  Head  Q  ,a  - 
ter«  of  the  Department  in  which  thev  mar  be 

relTw^T'"'  '^'■'''"'"^  '■'  interruption  of  communications,  may 
report  w.th.a  the  t.me  specified  to  the  nearest  enrolling  officer  or  other  offi- 
cer on  duty,  fo  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  upon  preienting  a 
< .  rl.ficate  from  sneh  officer  showinp  compliance  with  the  requirement  will 
recei  ve  the  pardon  hereby  offered . 

Those  who  have  deserted  to  the  service  of  the  enemy,  or  who  hare  desert- 

ed  after  having  been  once  pardoned  for  the  same  offence,  and   those  who 

hnl!  desert  or  absent  themselves  without  authority  after  the  publication  of 

this  Order,  are  excluded  from  its  benefits.      Nor  does  the  offer  of  pardon 

ex  end  to  other  offences  than  desertion  and  absence  without  permission 

a.rinbr""!r"'';''r"'''-'"  ^'''''''''  *^'^*''«  general  amnesty  will 
nZl  u\T'  T^l^"'"  ""°  '''''''  *"  "^'"^P*  "-  P-'1-  °ow  offered, 
or  who  shall  hereafter  desert  or  absent  themselves  without  leave,  shall  suffe^ 
such  punishment  as  the  Court,  nnv  in,,o=c,  and  no  application  for  .hn 
enry  will  be  entertiiiupd. 


,Tf)iiO(t^<WirM«>J'tt*»«»fro^  VlwX«Ve  wWfllPV  •P«»i<^  intend  for  us,  let 
eyery  ipa:    '   ■    •    r.ii  hit  (tieryics  to  ih*'  common  dcfent-e. 

Our  r  -dy  anil   vif^ronalj  employed,  are. mnpi^v  and; ^ivilil't 

bra  ''         '  ned   And   united   people,-.  8U(5fii>8s  with 

G  . 

.  ^.,  .............     ^      ,_ 

B«y,  Tr.:- 

that  lie 

<A(ftdl«i  lo'pri5crve  U.' 

R.  E.  I.EK 

jjfd  tTarf   ftf 

-<•.•*  ?    o  'v7   ««orft  ot  noi}?0Otr 

*  (rnrib^ift  l0o  3  ,..v 

-nil  n  -*atR  •»trnMinor>  »rf>  "* 

*d}  ot  .'-  tn  tnstcfji  TFTtqoiqmt 


..1  £,Jj   ij  I  . 

.  ?^  nooa  Rf 
lliw  .iMntyiiupfn  orit  'rixiw  ^nwiqinoo  'jniVi 

^•-o 

-Jiotsh  9T.  !   .  '  '.•  TO  .Trn^no  idt  >o 

odw  9«oit)    '>.iiJ  ,»"inVIio  smfla  oril  :. 

1o  noitaoildni  *df  lofla  ^norftim  Joorfifw  8«.  "'«  w  Hi 

nofn/iq  1o  i^no  o(ft  Bwb  loll      .gtaeosd  ■ti  ni. ,:      ti  »m  .i»L: 

.noiR9ian9<i  Juodliw  90fMiH«  hn«  noi»i9iwb  nnAt  ««n»Ro  i»ri»o  oi  batli-o 
•ilmtao-n  oa  t»til   btnahtb  <»«Iiii»i  ii  ^Jhorfliin  emaa  sdt  vfl 
nofn^fT    orft  tniooB  o»  ««uVn  odw  Morft  bnn  .fwJoais  »d  aia:(ii 


HllD    QCARTEUe    ARUIE3   OF   TH8   COVTEDKRATE   STATES 

nth  February,   1865. 

GENBRAL  ORDERS.  \ 
No.  3.  .  / 

The  discipline  and  efBciency  of  the  armj  have  been  greatly  impaired 
by  men  leaving  their  proper  commands  to  join  others,  in  which  they  find 
service  more  agreeable. 

This  practice,  almost  as  injnrioua  in  its  consequences  as  the  crime  of 
destrtion,  by  the  Articles  of  War,  exposes  the  offender  to  a  similar  punish- 
ment, and  subjects  the  officer  receiving  him  to  dismissal  from  the  army. 

It  is  therefore  declared  that  the  provisions  of  General  Order  No.  2,  of 
this  date,  from  Army  Head  Quarters  apply  to  such  men  as  have  left  their 
proper  corcmands  and  joined  others  without  being  regularly  transferred. 
They  will  receive  the  pardon  promised  in  that  Order,  upon  complying  with 
its  conditions,  or  suffer  the  consequences  attached  to  neglecting  it. 

The  names  of  such  absentees  will  bo  forthwith  reported  to  these  Head 
Quarters  by  the  officers  with  whom  they  are  serving,  and  immediate  meas- 
ures taken  to  return  them  to  their  proper  commands. 

As  soon  as  practicable,  an  inspection  will  be  made,  and  charges  will  be 
preferred  against  those  who  neglect  to  enforce  this  Order. 

R.  K.  LEE, 

CffiUrnl . 


Hkaj>  Qdarterb  Armies  of  thb  CovriDSBATB  Statm, 
22nd  Fthruary,  186.*i. 

OBKBRAL  ORDBUS,  \ 
No.  4.  ; 

I.  The  experience  of  our  own  and  oilier  armies  liaring  estabrished, 
that  the  lafety  no  lesa  th»n  the  efTicieniiv  of  troopa,  rcquirr-s  that  order  be 
maintained,  and  every  man  kopi  in  his  proper  position  in  action,  the  fol- 
lowing instrnctions  will  be  immciliately  carried  into  effect : 

A  thorough  examination  by  compntent  officers  lelected  by  the  Corps 
Tommander,  or  officer  commanding  detached  troops,  will  be  made  as  to 
the  qualifications  and  character  of  the  commissioned  and  non-commission- 
id  officers  of  each  company.  Such  of  the  former  as  shall  be  reported  de- 
ficient in  intelligence,  coolness,  and  cajiacify,  will  be  brought  before  Ex 
aminingr  Boards,  and  those  of  the  latter  so  reported,  will  be  reduced  to  the 
ranks.  Appointments  to  fill  vacancies  amonp  the  non-commi.'ssioned  offi- 
fprs  will  be  made  from  those  soldiers  of  the  company  most  distinguished 
for  courftfre.  discipline  and  attention  to  duty.  The  whole  number  of  file 
clo-tJcrs  in  each  company  shall  be  one  for  every  ten  men,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose Lance  appoinlments  will  be  given  if  necc^ssnry,  to  men  of  the  charac- 
ter above  described,  who  will  Ik*  required  to  wear  a  distinctive  bad^e. 

IT.  The  file  closers,  will  be  carefully  instrncted  in  their  duties  by  the 
r«vriiDfnfal  commanders,  and  vacancies  will  bo  filled  as  they  occur  araonpf 
♦he  non-commissioned  and  Lance  officers  from  the  best  and  most  tried  sol- 
diers of  the  company.  On  the  march  they  will  bo  required  to  prevent 
strapplingr,  and  be  held  responsible  for  the  iirescnce  of  their  respectivo 
squads  of  ten.  In  action,  tbcy  will  keep  two  paces  behind  the  rear  rank 
of  their"*8everal  squads,  the  non-commissioned  and  Lance  officers  with 
loaded  (runs  and  fixed  bayonets.  They  will  bo  dilipently  instructed  to  aid 
in  preserving  order  in  the  ranivs  and  rnforcinp  o'  edience  to  commands, 
and  to  permit  no  man  to  leave  his  place,  unle?8  wounded,  excused  in  writ- 
ing by  the  >fedical  officer  of  the  ropiment,  or  by  order  of  the  regimcntaJ 
commander  For  this  purpose,  they  will  use  Fuch  degree  of  force  as  may 
1)C  necessary.  If  any  refuse  to  advance,  disobey  orders,  or  leave  the  ranks 
to  plunder  or  to  retreat,  the  file  closers  will  promptly  cut  down  or  fire  upon 
the  delinquents.  They  will  treat  in  the  same  manner  any  roan  who  uses 
words  or  actions  calculated  to  produce  alarm  araono;  the  troops.  Justice 
to  the  bravo  men  who  remain  at  their  posts,  ho  less  than  the  success  to  our 
arras,  dctnands  ibat  this  order  be  rigorously  executed,  and  it  will  be  en- 
joined upon  file  closers  that  they  fihali  make  the  eva.>=ion  of  duty  more  dan- 

:-i«r<ilia  tban    il-  '.,  .  r.irni.d,,  .i 


III.  The  ralne  of  tlie  forwroing  order  will  depend  upon  th*  character  of 

tbc  file  closers,  ftnd  t'  •  with    wM<h   tliev  :trc    initmcted.     None 

should  be  scltcitd  L-,:;  ..,  vr^A^rftur]   b-v^    .ippreciatc   the  impor- 

tance of  their  duties,  uiiU  :  ~  nn<i  determination 

to  perform  them  faithfully.  will  |.roraptJy  prefer 

charges  against  the  c(miini?=ioi]i  irn  to  the  ranks  all  oth- 

ers who  neglect  or  rcfuf:-  ti.  ■  ir  '  inslructioM. 

i:     P..  LSI, 

Otncral 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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